Source
State Archives of Florida, Series S125
Description
Letters from "Buffalo Bob" Smith and James Lewis Kempthorne to Governor Askew expressing their want for Daylight Saving Time to remain in place in Florida, accusing Askew of favoring interest groups, dated January 28, 1974. Smith's letter is on "Buffalo Bob" letterhead with an illustration of him and Howdy Doody.
General Note
"Buffalo Bob" Smith was a television personality on the Howdy Doody show from 1947 until 1960.
In 1973, the United States was facing energy shortages and developed a variety of approaches to conserve energy as a result, including the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act of 1973. This legislation established a trial period of year-round Daylight Saving Time (DST) from January 6, 1974 to April 27, 1975. The hope was that an extra hour of daylight in the evening would reduce energy consumption, especially the use of electricity.
In Florida, the change to year-round DST came with serious consequences. In the first few weeks after the time change was enacted, several school-aged children were injured in traffic accidents in the dark mornings on their way to school.
In response to these accidents, there was an outpouring of citizen correspondence to Governor Askew expressing their opinions on year-round DST and whether or not Florida should move to counteract the Federal mandate within the state.
On January 29th, 1974, the Florida Legislature met for a special session to discuss DST. At the end of this session, no legislation was passed, and Florida continued to comply with the year-round Daylight Saving Time that President Nixon established.
In 2018, the Florida Legislature passed the “Sunshine Protection Act” (HB1013/SB858), stating that Florida will enact a year-round DST, provided that the federal Uniform Time Act of 1966 is amended to permit states to do so.
JAMES LEWIS KEMPTHORNE
APARTMENT 3-B 1390 SOUTH OCEAN BOULEVARD
POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA 33062
(305) 782-0212
FOR
PHONE OR WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN
January 28, 1974
Honorable Reuben Askew
Governor of Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Honorable Sir
The people of Florida are being cheated again.
We are enraged at your fraudulent claim that Daylight Savings is being scrapped only because of the school children. You know full well that starting the schools an hour later will solve the problem. The unfortunate accidents that have happened are chargeable wholly and solely to the bureaucratic schoolboys.
Your main and actual reason for eliminating Daylight Savings is because you are acting as the representative of the special interests who have always been against Daylight Savings; namely, the hotel keepers, the night clubs, the restauranteurs, and the movie industry. All of these people are advertisers in the newspapers, radio and television which accounts for the fact that all phases of the news media are in favor of scrapping Daylight Savings. The farmer vote has likewise always been against Daylight Savings.
Since Daylight Savings came in, we tremendously enjoy going out for dinner because we can finish and return before dark. The most dangerous spot in the world bar none, is a Florida restaurant parking lot after dark. Your action in cancelling Daylight Savings is especially appreciated by the mugs and thugs, the robbers and the rapists. By your action you will very much have increased the crime rate.
From our standpoint, we feel that you are cheating us by decreasing our lifespan by one hour a day just when we need it the most, and all of this only because you represent the above-named special interests. Even if you succeed, Daylight Savings is going to continue to be a national issue in the saving of energy. But even if you do, there will be one advantage; that is, you will have assured us of a Republican Governor in the next election.
Incidentally, over the radio it is heard that you are scrapping Daylight Savings because of "executive privilege". Does that mean that you think you have the right to scrap the Federal law? I know of one group that are studying this from a legal angle concerning an injunction if that is possible.
'Respectfully',
James L. Kempthorne [signed]
James L. Kempthorne
JLK:vh
Chicago Manual of Style
Smith, "Buffalo Bob" (Robert Emil Schmidt), 1917-1998. Letters from "Buffalo Bob" Smith and James Lewis Kempthorne to Governor Askew about Daylight Saving Time, January 28, 1974. 1974-01-28. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/350896>, accessed 16 November 2024.
MLA
Smith, "Buffalo Bob" (Robert Emil Schmidt), 1917-1998. Letters from "Buffalo Bob" Smith and James Lewis Kempthorne to Governor Askew about Daylight Saving Time, January 28, 1974. 1974-01-28. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/350896>
AP Style Photo Citation
(State Archives of Florida/Smith)
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